Max Bouchet serves as the Director of the Center for State and Local Diplomacy at Meridian International Center, where he leads research and programs supporting the global engagement of cities, states, and local governments. He develops convenings, networks, and tools that equip subnational leaders to advance international cooperation and partnerships supporting innovation, energy security, global trade, and democratic resilience. Max regularly engages with diplomats and international organizations to elevate the role of local leaders in solving global challenges.

Prior to joining Meridian, Max served as Director for City and State Diplomacy at the Truman Center for National Policy, where he led the organization's research, policy, and strategy efforts to support subnational governments' international engagement. At Truman, he oversaw the work of senior fellows, interns, and program staff while providing intellectual leadership on key policy areas including economic development, technology, and geopolitical competition. He also designed the first comprehensive database on U.S. subnational diplomacy.

Before joining the Truman Center, Max held research positions at Guidehouse and the Brookings Institution. At Brookings, he co-managed the SDG Leadership Cities Network, a community of practice bringing together cities from the Global South and North to advance sustainable development. He also led research for Brookings's Global Cities Initiative, coordinating U.S. and international metro areas in strengthening their economic connections and competitiveness through cross-sector coalitions and pilot cohorts across a dozen city-regions.

Max holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Public Affairs, both from the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po Paris, France). He is a Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.